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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

"Struggling-with-SIN", Part 2

Dead IN Sin or Dead TO Sin?We read in the New Testament of those witnesses of the life, death and resurrection of Christ, and Paul reiterated the Truth of the gospel message in Romans 6:9 saying that knowing that Christ Jesus was raised from the dead, He will no longer die for DEATH has NO MORE DOMINION OVER HIM. Christ Jesus DIED UNTO SIN ONCE and WHEN HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD, He LIVES unto God.Take note of what the apostle said next in Romans 6:11-18:

12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13Neither yield ye your members asinstruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members asinstruments of righteousness unto God. 14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

15What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?17But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.18Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

The apostle mentioned in verse 9 and 10 that because death has NO MORE DOMINION OVER CHRIST when He rose from the dead, Paul then followed up with this admonition for those who BELIEVE in CHRIST JESUS:

LIKEWISE --> in other words "IN THE SAME WAY"

RECKON --> means to "THINK OR ASSUME" or "CONSIDER AS BEING"

YE --> "YOU" addressed in plural form (this was a letter to the saints in Rome. Romans 1:7)

Take into consideration who are called the "SAINTS" by reading 1 Corinthians 1:2

ALSO YOURSELVES --> continuing on with whom he addressed the letter to... (born-again believers of the Lord Jesus Christ who were in Rome)

TO BE DEAD --> speaking about the death of our carnal beings to gain NEW LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS. (Jesus spoke of the NEED to be born again in Spirit in John 3:5-8, because the first nature we are born into is of the flesh, or carnal. Read more about being born-again here.)

INDEED --> means "IN FACT" or "WITHOUT A DOUBT"

UNTO --> archaic word for "TO"

SIN --> the GRAVE OFFENSE AGAINST GOD that was passed unto ALL MEN from Adam.

Paul admonishes a TRUE BELIEVER in CHRIST JESUS, one who has BEEN BORN AGAIN, to really consider, or assume the state of being DEAD TO SIN and no longer DEAD IN SIN.

The excuse to "struggle"It is very important that we STUDY and UNDERSTAND God's TRUTH directly from HIS WORD. So many preachers today talk about this thing called "struggling with sin" and ?Many Christians today believe in this false belief that they are STILL defeated, frail, lacking victory AND have to REGULARLY struggle and fall into sin in their lives! Many professing Christians make this "struggle with sin" an EXCUSE to a life of carnality! Many would convince themselves that they do not have the power to OVERCOME their sinful habits because it's okay to be weak anyway, because God's Grace is sufficient in weakness! But is it really like that?!As I've mentioned, it is VERY IMPORTANT to study the Bible in context because EVERYTHING IN GOD'S TRUTH FALLS INTO PLACE as we read and study and learn from Him directly. Why can't we excuse our REGULAR, HABITUAL SINNING with the idea of "struggling with sin?" Because the apostle Paul never spoke of sin as a REGULAR PART of his NEW LIFE IN CHRIST!Listen to his very words in the letters he wrote to the saints...

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:1)

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit." (Romans 8:5)

"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."

(Romans 8:6-7)

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. " (Romans 8:9)

"And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." (Romans 8:10)

"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. " (Romans 8:13-14)

"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:" (Colossians 3:5)

"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." (Galatians 5:24)

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." (Romans 6:6)

What about Paul's "thorn in the flesh"?

"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

Paul spoke of a "thorn in the flesh" which he asked the Lord to remove, but thrice it was denied. Now many Christians today believe that this "thorn in the flesh" is comparable to Paul's constant "struggling with sin!" Even the so-called Bible teacher whose message I listened to mentioned that Paul's "thorn in the flesh" was something that HINDERED HIM and KEPT HIM BACK in attaining victory! Knowing Paul's stand against SIN and Paul's belief on a true believer's VICTORIOUS life in Christ Jesus, it just goes to show that the above kind of teaching is nothing but a happy session of twisting and misusing scripture to excuse carnality!CONTEXT is always the key and we need to step back a little to see and understand what Paul is talking about when he spoke of his "thorn in the flesh." Take note that Paul said he was given a thorn in the flesh, which was then followed by a phrase giving light to what this "thorn" was--the messenger of Satan to buffet me! God's Word itself shows us what this thorn is, contrary to what the teacher said in his message that God didn't allow us to KNOW what this thorn was so we can "fill in the blanks" for whatever it is that we all may "struggle with!"We ought to study Scripture ourselves and learn from GOD'S WORD DIRECTLY to TEST every spirit that puts itself up as an authority on Scripture. Read 2 Corinthians 11:16 - 12:10 and see how it shows off Paul's accounting of his measure as an apostle of Christ. He even considered his accounting a "little boasting" of himself and his accomplishments.Through those passage in Scripture we see Paul establishing himself as one who is indeed a minister and a labourer of Christ. I remember him saying the same things in the book of Galatians when he described himself as a Pharisee among pharisees... he was all THAT, in short! So Paul was in the line of proudly presenting his credentials as an apostle of Christ.But he concluded his accounting with 2 Corinthians 12:5-10:

"Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

7And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Paul NEVER talked about any regular STRUGGLING WITH SIN in the context! He was talking about this thorn in the flesh BEING GIVEN TO HIM BY GOD to keep him in check lest he become so proud of who he was and what he's done for Christ.

The thorn in the flesh was said to be the "messenger of Satan". Have you ever read the book of Job? You might as well know that GOD ALLOWED Satan to wreck havoc in Job's life. A messenger of Satan can may well be the fallen angels or demons or demonic spirits that are in this world. Their purpose we read in verse 7 --> Paul said they were given TO BUFFET HIM.

The word buffet means:

To drive or force with...

To hit or beat...

To force with difficulty...

Review Paul's account of his experiences and see that he's been through so many persecutions as an apostle of Christ. THESE were SOVEREIGNLY ALLOWED BY GOD, through that messenger of Satan, in order to KEEP PAUL's PRIDE IN CHECK!!!

Nowhere did Paul ever talked about a CONSTANT STRUGGLE WITH SIN! How can he have one when he KNOWS he has been CRUCIFIED IN CHRIST and it is no longer him who lives BUT CHRIST LIVES IN HIM?!

A constant "struggling with sin" is the excuse of a carnal "christianized goat". Many Christians today are so lukewarm and given over to carnality that their tickling ears receive messages that "encourage them" in their frail, defeated so-called christian lives.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR CONTINUING WITH SIN. The apostle Paul shouts out this beautiful Truth in Romans 8:1 that every professing believer must come in terms with:

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,

4 comments:

WOW. excellent word and revelation of the true meaning of these passages and of the so-called "struggle with sin"....from my spirit, I know that we Christians are capable of sin, but are immediately convicted and must harden our hearts toward God if we were to continue to sin...a real Christian can't/won't do it, we are grieving God and causing separation, so no, we don't continually struggle with sin. We are given His Holy Spirit for exactly this purpose, to have the daily power over sin and we become stronger and stronger, being convicted of and giving up more and more as we go. I have never known a longtime bible believing Christian walking with God who struggles "daily" with sin...sin is progressive and the Holy Spirit cannot abide where there is darkness like habitual or constant sin, doesn't happen. Thank you, Cookie! Great clarification directly from the Word of God. amen!

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